All About: Turkey

How to Buy How to Prepare How to Cook Nutrition

Four wild turkeys were served as part of the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621. Hundreds of years later, this magnificent bird is still a staple at our holiday table. Until recently, however, turkey was regarded as a once-a-year treat. Ninety percent of all turkeys were sold during November and December because many believed that preparing a whole bird was too much work. In the past two decades, with the wide variety of cuts available, convenient cooking methods, and nutritional awareness, turkey consumption has increased 133 percent.

How to Buy

Domestic—or farm-raised—turkeys generally weigh 6 to 24 pounds and have large breasts in relation to their legs and wings. The most common varieties are fryers, hens, and toms.

When determining the size of bird to buy for your holiday meal, allow 3/4 pound per person, 1 pound if you want leftovers. If the bird is more than 12 pounds, allow 1/2 to 3/4 pound per person. You'll want to be sure that the skin of the turkey is free of cuts, bruises, and blemishes. If you're buying a frozen bird, it should be rock hard and contain limited amounts of frozen liquid. The liquid indicates that the bird has been thawed and refrozen.

How to Prepare

A fresh turkey should be kept in the coldest part of the refrigerator for no more than two days and wrapped tightly to avoid leaking juices on other foods.

The best method for thawing a whole frozen turkey, is to leave the bird in its wrapping and place it on a tray in the refrigerator. Plan on at least 24 hours for every 5 pounds. Thawed turkeys will keep one or two days in the refrigerator. After the turkey has thawed or before you cook the fresh turkey, remove the giblets and neck from cavities. Rinse the turkey inside and out, let it drain, and pat dry with paper towels.

How to Cook

Preparing a savory and delicious turkey may seem like a daunting task. Take a look at our simple tips for creating a delectable holiday feast that's so satisfying it's sure to send your guests into a deep post-meal snooze.

The safest route is to prepare stuffing separately from the turkey. If you decide to stuff the bird, stuffing should be prepared and stuffed into the turkey immediately before it's placed in the oven. When making dressing ahead of time, wet and dry ingredients should be refrigerated separately and combined immediately before stuffing the turkey. Turkeys should be stuffed loosely; use 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey.
Place the turkey breast-side up in a shallow roasting pan. Brush the turkey with melted Crisco Butter Flavor shortening to prevent drying of skin. Frequent basting is the best method to keep your turkey moist as it roasts. Shield the breast loosely with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
Cook until internal temperature-measured by a meat thermometer-reaches 170ºF in the breast and 180ºF in the thigh. A turkey is done if the leg moves up and down easily and the hip joint gives readily, or if the juices are clear, not pink, when the thickest part of the inner thigh is pierced with a fork.
After it's cooked, turkey will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator. You can freeze cooked turkey for up to a month.

Do you prefer the taste of a deep fried turkey? Cooking in a deep-fryer can be dangerous if not done correctly. Follow our helpful tips to make sure everyone is safe and ready to enjoy your deliciously deep-fried turkey.

Nutrition

Don't feel guilty if you stuff yourself this Thanksgiving. Did you know that turkey breast is the leanest of all meats? In fact, it's virtually fat free. A skinless, 3 1/2-ounce serving supplies just 135 calories and less than 1 g of fat. Dark meat is higher in fat than light meat, but it is still relatively lean without the skin. Turkey is not only an excellent source of protein, but it's also a good source of niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and phosphorus.

Meats, Eggs & Dairy

Chicken Eggs Fish & Shrimp Ground Beef Ribs Turkey